Don't test patience of Parliament: Venkaiah Naidu warns MPs

Naidu said some MPs were whistling while some others used placards to block the view of ministers

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday said the conduct of some MPs during their protest over the Pegasus episode was lowering the dignity of the Parliament while cautioning them not to test the patience of the House.

Naidu made the remarks at the beginning of the proceedings of the day, saying he was made aware of some MPs whistling in the House, some others putting their hands on the shoulders of marshals and a couple of others standing in front of ministers holding placards.

"With all these things, we are taking the House to a new low. I am very much concerned about this. There are two ways. First, ignore this and allow this to become a bazaar (market). Allow every member to blow whistles. The second is to take action. I feel really sorry to say this from this podium. I never expected my Members to go to that level," he said.

"I only request to all the members to see that the decency and dignity of the House is maintained. That is my earnest appeal. There is a limit to patience and we should not exhaust the patience of the House," he said.

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Protesting over issues is fine but the dignity and the prestige of the House should not be compromised, he said.

He also said that he was examining a breach-of-privilege notice submitted by Congress MP K C Venugopal on the written reply of Minister of State for Health Bharati Pawar that no death of Covid patients due to a lack of oxygen has been reported.

Venugopal said he has given a notice under Rule 187 for moving a breach-of-privilege motion against Pawar on charges of misleading the House.

"My question was direct -- Is it a fact that a large number of Covid-19 patients died on road and in hospitals due to an acute shortage of oxygen in the second wave? (of the coronavirus pandemic). This was my question. The minister answered that no death occurred due to an oxygen shortage," Venugopal said.

Naidu said he has received the notice and "it is being examined".

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha Chief Whip Sukhendu Sekhar Ray said that no notice under Rule 267 to suspend business and discuss issues of importance has been accepted by the Chair since November 2016.

"On no occasion has rule 267 been allowed in the last five years. I strongly believe that the rule still exists in the rule book and kindly allow us to discuss (under) rule 267," he said.